Michael Duignan's All-Ireland hurling semi-final predictions

Updated / Friday, 26 Jul 2019 15:07

Limerick and Kilkenny meet in the championship for a third consecutive year

It's time to strap on the seat belt. In 18 semi-finals, Kilkenny have played under Brian Cody, they have won 15 of them. It's an unbelievable record. In that time I have only gone against them a couple of times ever in knockout games.

Richie Hogan scored Kilkenny's second goal against Cork

One of those was against Cork the last day, so anytime I do they always come up with a performance. That was their best performance since the 2015 All-Ireland final. The honesty of effort and commitment was unbelievable.

In an era where we have many great players in the game, Kilkenny still have the best of them all in TJ Reid. He was quiet from play against Cork, but he is still a massive influence. In getting all their injured players back, Kilkenny, slowly and surely have come to the fore.

What can we say about Limerick?

Their performance in the Munster final was the performance of the year so far.

It's nearly impossible to call this game.

Richie English is a vital part of a strong Limerick full-back line

From midfield up, you are going to see a lot of high quality play.

To me, the difference is the Limerick defence. Their full-back line is so settled - Sean Finn, Mick Casey and Richie English are one of the best hurling full-back lines I have ever seen. They do their jobs really well, the basics really well. You just have to look at the way they attack the ball, win the ball and then look up and pick out a man is unprecedented in terms of their skill levels.

Kilkenny will try to move guys around to fill gaps. We saw Pádraig Walsh the last day going back to corner back to pick up Alan Cadogan.

Individually, Kilkenny have good players and will give it everything.

However, the Limerick backline have a more settled look, are that little bit more solid.

In what will be a rip-roaring contest, Limerick will scrape through.

I was down in Wexford last night doing a preview and the excitement levels are unbelievable. You have to give credit to Wexford, they are the only unbeaten team left in the championship. Minors won the first Leinster since 1985, the 21s were in a Leinster final. Hurling is on a massive high in the county.

We know what Wexford are going to bring. We know what way they are going to set up.

If you take their game against Kilkenny, they had only three wides in the whole game. Their key men - Lee Chin, Rory O'Connor, Liam Óg McGovern were all outstanding and Chin nailed all his frees - that has been Wexford's Achilles heel over the last few years. The last day everything went right for them.

On Sunday, they will be a hard nut to crack.

This will be the first championship meeting between Tipperary and Wexford since 2010

So what Tipperary team will turn up?

Earlier in the championship, they looked imperious. And then the wheels came off in a very dramatic way against Limerick in the Munster final.Their second-half performance was terrible and then they scrapped past Laois without inspiring much confidence. Is that the Tipperary team or is it the team we saw earlier in the championship?

Liam Sheedy will be demanding a real Tipperary performance on Sunday and I think we will get it. Tipp will need that if they are going to beat this Wexford team.

They have averaged 30 points a game in the championship so far. Their top scorers so far this summer are Seamus Callanan and John McGrath; Callanan has scored a goal in every championship match.

Tipperary will find Croke Park to their liking; Eamon O'Shea will come up with a plan to break down Davy Fitzgerald's sweeper system.

It will be intriguing to watch it unfold and it will be tight.

I think Tipperary can deliver a big performance, if they deliver that, they will win.

Follow Limerick v Kilkenny on Saturday (6pm) via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the News Now app. Watch live coverage on RTÉ2 from 5pm and the RTÉ Player and listen to radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.

Follow Wexford v Tipperary on Sunday (3.30pm) via our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the News Now app. Watch live coverage on RTÉ2 from 2.30pm and the RTÉ Player and listen to radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.

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